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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26428150">Where All Roads Lead in Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExaltedBrand/pseuds/ExaltedBrand'>ExaltedBrand</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>69 (Sex Position), Cheating, Cunnilingus, Dancing, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kissing, Porn With Plot, Sad, Vaginal Fingering</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:28:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,862</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26428150</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExaltedBrand/pseuds/ExaltedBrand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite the glamour of the Heroes' Ball, Ethlyn can't help but notice that Lachesis isn't in the mood for dancing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cian | Quan/Ethlyn, Ethlyn/Raquesis | Lachesis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Where All Roads Lead in Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Pairing suggestion from Anonymous</p><p>Loosely (and I mean loosely) connected to A Dance of Desire</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That evening, the Heroes’ Ball was in full swing. After a brief but intense period of build-up and excitement following Princess Sharena’s announcement, the west hall of the Askran royal family’s castle was alive with colour and music: a dazzling—and dizzying—display of elegance that brought so many heroes together for a night of music and companionship. The Order of Heroes had spared no expense on the festivities—nor had Commander Anna, along with that slightly eerie body double of hers from another world, missed an opportunity for merchandising—and even the more withdrawn heroes had been lured into the spectacle by the bright lights, forming matched and mismatched pairs alike with anyone who struck their fancy.</p><p>For Ethlyn, who knew how to dance but had never been well-adjusted to it, the ball presented an unusual mingling of feelings. The first of these, swelling strongly in her heart, was pride. She and Prince Quan, who she’d been so lucky to have found in Askr, looked positively radiant: Quan was dashing in the formal attire she’d picked out for him, even as he felt otherwise, while her red and orange dress had drawn eyes from lords and ladies in equal measure. Moreover, the ball presented an opportunity to show off the love they shared to the world; to sing it loud without embarrassing themselves through actual song. Every step was a statement; every twirl an affirmation of their bond.</p><p>The other feeling, simmering quietly under the surface, was a sense of misplaced happiness.</p><p>Everything about the ballroom was so delightful: a fine-tuned splendour, polished to perfection. A happy mirage that threatened to fade away as the clock struck midnight. Ballrooms were always tinged with an air of insincerity, a pretence put up to distract from hard times or hide the ruthless games nobles played with words; but in this ballroom, organised by Princess Sharena with nothing but an earnest desire for fun, the sense of the unreal manifested in a different, more difficult form.</p><p>At some point during the evening, Ethlyn was drawn into a dance with King Eldigan. While Quan had been hesitant to dance with anyone besides her, a sense of courteous obligation had led him to accept every request from anyone, whether male or female, that came his way; and so she and Eldigan made their way around the ballroom, arms held high, marching and twirling in time with the waltz.</p><p>“Such a wonderful gathering,” Eldigan said, adopting a tone of casual conversation. “After all the trials this kingdom seems to have endured, it’s refreshing to see everyone still in such high spirits.”</p><p>“I’ll confess, I’m not much for these sorts of occasions. But you’re right. It’s very nice to see everyone having fun.”</p><p>Over Eldigan’s shoulder, she saw Princess Lachesis watching the two of them, a wine glass in her hand. Her red dress cut a sharp contrast with the browns and golds of the ballroom, and even from a distance she was striking. She caught Ethlyn’s eye for a moment, offering a quick smile and nod in her direction – though Ethlyn couldn’t shake the feeling she was evaluating her worthiness to dance with her brother. She returned the nod, before Eldigan pulled her into a spin.</p><p>“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of seeing you dance before,” Eldigan said. “You’re very good at it.”</p><p>Ethlyn giggled. “You’ll need more sophisticated flattery than that if you wish to outshine my husband, Your Majesty.”</p><p>“Perish the thought. I wouldn’t dare.” Eldigan turned in place, and the two of them began to move back down the ballroom. “Quan is a lucky man indeed. I shouldn’t like to face him—be it in this battlefield or the real one.”</p><p>Light-hearted as the words were, they sent a pang of sadness through her heart. The colours of the ballroom seemed to lose their lustre for a moment, as if something were tearing at the illusion’s seams.</p><p>Eldigan had, of course, clashed with Quan. It had happened at Castle Agusti, when Agustria’s King Chagall had suddenly let loose an army against her brother’s occupation. But she couldn’t speak of such things yet; wouldn’t dare ruin Eldigan’s moment of happiness. In Eldigan’s time—the moment the Order of Heroes had plucked him from—it hadn’t happened yet.</p><p>In her time, Eldigan was dead. Executed by Chagall for daring to suggest bringing an end to all the pointless fighting.</p><p>“I trust you’re enjoying your stay here in Askr?” Eldigan asked, perhaps noting her distant expression. “It’s quite the unusual place.”</p><p>“Very much so,” she replied, smiling. “Everyone has been… so kind to us.”</p><p>Indeed, Eldigan’s presence was part of what gave the ball such an ethereal quality. She was dancing with a man who had died, who she’d watched both her brother and Quan mourn so deeply. A man who couldn’t possibly be here, but was.</p><p>“We’re quite fortunate, you know – to be together in this world with our loved ones. You and Quan, me and my sister… Taken as suddenly as we are from our worlds into this one, a great many heroes here are torn away from their friends and families.” Eldigan sighed, and briefly looked at the dancing couples around them. “Many of these people are without their other halves.”</p><p>“You’re right. Everyone fights for the Order with such devotion, but… it’s quite sad.” She paused, briefly concentrating on her movements. “But I suppose that’s what makes a ball like this so welcome, isn’t it? Here in Askr, people forge new bonds; find like-minded souls to spend time with. And a ball allows them to express those bonds—and feelings—in a physical way.”</p><p>“I’d never thought of it that way. You may be right – but perhaps there’s another layer to it as well. A waltz doesn’t simply celebrate existing bonds; it allows new ones to be forged, doesn’t it?” Eldigan smiled at her. “For instance, I’ve hardly had the pleasure of speaking to you beyond when you were growing up with Sigurd and in meetings with Quan, but I’ve rather enjoyed our dance together.”</p><p>“As have I,” Ethlyn said, returning his smile. “That’s a rather interesting viewpoint, too… Dance as a way of creating bonds between people. Even two strangers, given the right atmosphere and music, can become as one while dancing.”</p><p>“I’ve heard it said that even the worst of couples can find something in common through dance.” Eldigan chuckled. “A clever ploy by the Order of Heroes, if I do say so myself. Fellowship wins battles.”</p><p>She only wished that were true.</p><p>The music came to an end, and Eldigan stepped back from her. “Thank you, Lady Ethlyn,” he said, bowing. “That was a most enjoyable dance.”</p><p>She curtsied. “It was my pleasure, Your Majesty.”</p><p>“I’m still quite eager to chat with some of the attendees,” he said. “If it’s not too much trouble, would you do me the honour of keeping Lachesis company for just a short while? She does grow rather… agitated in my absence.”</p><p>“Of course,” Ethlyn said. Lachesis had a reputation for being sharp-tongued and sarcastic, but after they’d fought together for so long in her world, she couldn’t say she minded the opportunity to spend some time with her. “I’d be delighted.”</p><p>“Thank you very much.” Eldigan bowed again. “Have a good evening, Lady Ethlyn. If you’ll excuse me…”</p><p>Eldigan walked away, and Ethlyn turned to look for Lachesis. She was standing in the same spot as before, and from the looks of it, she’d hardly touched her wine in the interim.</p><p>“Lady Lachesis,” she said, approaching Eldigan’s half-sister with a smile. “How are you faring this evening?”</p><p>“I’m fine, thank you,” Lachesis replied, smiling faintly. “You seemed to enjoy dancing with my brother.”</p><p>Was that observation or an accusation, Ethlyn wondered? Better to play it safe with courtesy, as Quan would have done.</p><p>“It was quite lovely. He’s a very refined dancer.”</p><p>Lachesis’s smile grew a little stronger, pride shining through. But it was still weaker than Ethlyn would have expected of her.</p><p>“He is, isn’t he? So mannered and dashing… Few men could ever be his equal.” Her voice was almost wistful.</p><p>“I suppose not.” Ethlyn couldn’t help but compare Quan favourably to him, though she’d hardly deny Eldigan his merits.</p><p>Lachesis sighed and looked at her. “As for your dancing, Lady Ethlyn… Well, it was acceptable. Your footwork is lacking somewhat, and your arms need to move more gracefully. But I suppose one doesn’t master a dance as sophisticated as a waltz without a <em>few </em>missteps. Certainly, it didn’t distract from my brother’s dazzling performance… so perhaps that’s good enough.”</p><p>“I’m not very accustomed to dancing in general,” she admitted. “But then, I hardly feel at ease on a battlefield, either. Perhaps I should take more delight in these moments of peace and rest…”</p><p>“Yes. Quite.”</p><p>Once again, Ethlyn noticed how withdrawn Lachesis seemed. Her smile had vanished now, and she stared into the crowd of people with a long face.</p><p>“But peace never lasts, does it?” Her voice was soft, distant. “It breaks and dies, smothered in blood and flames. Cruelty gives way to war, and war brings such terrible pain…”</p><p>Ethlyn was rather taken aback by her sullenness, but responded, nevertheless. “Then all the more reason to treasure the peace we do have – even if it’s only here in Askr”</p><p>Lachesis looked up at her, eyelids slightly narrowed. After a moment, she managed a smile.</p><p>“Ah, yes. Yes, I suppose that is true. This time we’ve all been given together is a gift in its own right…”</p><p>Ethlyn returned her smile, glad to see her spirits lifted. “It’s important to enjoy these things. Unlike some people I know…”</p><p>She glanced over at her husband, who was taking slow steps with a pink-twintailed noblewoman far too energetic for his style. While he held himself with such princely dignity, it was clear to anyone that he was only putting himself through the ball out of a sense of noble duty.</p><p>Yes, she and him had danced so pleasingly together; made such a show of their love in front of everyone. It had all been very convincing – not just to onlookers, but to themselves.</p><p>He looked right. He sounded right. He made her laugh with his stiff formality, his odd style of dance, his unique charm. He treated her in precisely the same way as the Quan back home, and had done nothing out of the ordinary.</p><p>But he wasn’t him. Not quite. In her time, she had recently returned to Leonster with Quan in the wake of Eldigan’s death; in his time, he had only just departed Leonster with her to fight alongside her brother. A gulf of three years separated them, and while neither seemed to have aged a day, talking with him at length only made the gap more obvious. He was a kind stranger—a stranger with similar mannerisms and a deep affection for her, but a stranger all the same—who lacked the experience those three years had bestowed on her husband. This Quan hadn’t gone through the same hell she had; the deaths, the loss, the sheer, relentless struggle to stay alive. At no fault of his own, the connection between the two of them was misaligned.</p><p>He couldn’t understand. Nor could she expect it of him. But all the same, he danced – and standing there with Lachesis, Ethlyn couldn’t help but giggle at his efforts.</p><p>“My beloved, for instance,” she said. “He looks more like he’s attending a funeral than a ball.”</p><p>Lachesis let out a small chuckle. “Goodness me, he really does… A statue could move with more grace.”</p><p>“It’s good for him to attend, though. A prince’s presence at a gathering is an important thing. It’s only a shame he can’t relax more.”</p><p>“Quite. Though I daresay his talents on the battlefield are more commendable than that… shuffle. Yes, that’s the word. A shuffle.”</p><p>Lachesis sighed.</p><p>“As for my brother, on the other hand… I simply want him to find a partner who can match his splendour. A partner who is on his level. Is that so much to ask?”</p><p>Ethlyn laughed, quite unoffended. “There’s certainly no shortage of capable dancers here. How about one of those two?”</p><p>She nodded in the direction of a particularly striking couple – a woman with ponytailed green hair and a blue dress dancing with a blue-haired woman in white. The woman in white moved with ephemeral grace, hair flowing around her partner like water, and the two danced with stellar coordination, stepping to a rhythm that seemed entirely their own. From a certain angle, it was almost shamelessly intimate; and the two drifted across the ballroom with such elegant ease that it looked more like they were floating than dancing.</p><p>“I wouldn’t put them with Eldigan,” Lachesis said immediately. “The first one, the one in blue – well, she’s rather too short for him. His stature would surely intimidate her. And the other… well… she’s far too showy, with no regard for the delicate pace of the music. She’d take all the attention away from Eldigan. My brother needs a partner who can match his grace, not one who can outpace him. No, she wouldn’t do.”</p><p>“I see. Well, I’ve certainly no problem with a partner taking all the attention off my husband. I can only imagine he’s thankful for it, thrust into the spotlight as he and your brother so often are…”</p><p>Lachesis smiled a bit.</p><p>“I will concede that they’re both exceptional dancers. They seem very close – if not wholly disdainful of etiquette and traditions. Perhaps that’s the key to a good partnership: a unity of minds as well as movements. And none are as close to my brother as I…”</p><p>“Then why not partner with him yourself?”</p><p>“Ethlyn, dearest – why, I’d love nothing more. But he flatly insisted against it! ‘Improper’, he said; ‘eyebrow-raising’. Hah! He only recognises that I’d never leave his side for the entire evening.”</p><p>Another sigh, deeper than the last.</p><p>“Besides which… I fear I’m not much in the mood for dancing right now.”</p><p>Ethlyn looked at her. It wasn’t simply a lack of enthusiasm, she realised; it was something deeper. Something behind her eyes, in the slump of her shoulders. Something sad.</p><p>“Would you like to talk about it?” Ethlyn offered. “I don’t want to impose, but… I’m here for you, if you need a friend.”</p><p>“I…” Lachesis stared at the floor. “You’re a darling, but it’s nothing. I’d rather not burden you with the details.”</p><p>“Something with details isn’t nothing. If it has details, it can be discussed. If it can be discussed, it can be worked through.”</p><p>Ethlyn gently took her gloved hand, giving it a squeeze.</p><p>“I’m here for you. Trust me.”</p><p>Lachesis hesitated, but didn’t pull away.</p><p>“Sometimes,” Ethlyn said, “we can only make it through our troubles if we shoulder them with someone else. What bond would be worth anything if it wasn’t something to be shared and relied on?”</p><p>Another moment of silence – then Lachesis managed a soft laugh.</p><p>“You really are quite something, my darling Ethlyn.”</p><p>She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Her next words were quiet.</p><p>“Might we go outside? The balcony is so much quieter than this ballroom.”</p>
<hr/><p>The two of them stepped outside into the cool air. A breeze ran through Ethlyn’s hair, refreshing after the hot press of the ballroom, and she could feel the sweat dying on her forehead. She leaned against the stone balustrade, looking out over the Askran countryside. Far on the horizon, the late sunset painted the landscape in shades of red and orange, like a fire across the land.</p><p>For a moment, it was like the fields were ablaze, great tendrils of flame moving across the grass and wheat. She shivered, suddenly cold, and a quiet chill closed around her heart.</p><p>Then she blinked, and it was just a field again.</p><p>Lachesis rested her forearms on the stone, mirroring her. Ethlyn stayed quiet, giving her time to collect her thoughts.</p><p>At last, she spoke.</p><p>“Can I ask you a strange question, Lady Ethlyn?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“In your world… or your time, one supposes… how fares my brother?”</p><p>Ethlyn froze. She didn’t know how to answer. Was there a way to break such grim news kindly?</p><p>“…I see,” Lachesis murmured. “You needn’t explain, Lady Ethlyn. It’s not necessary. I understand.”</p><p>She sighed, long and deep.</p><p>“My brother is dead,” she said, and Ethlyn’s eyes went wide. “Sent to the chopping block by Chagall… and all because I was foolish enough to suggest he try to reason with that <em>monster</em>. In some manner, it’s as if I condemned Eldie—that is, my brother—to death myself…”</p><p>Her red gloves curled up into fists, and her voice trembled.</p><p>“And now here he is. Dancing, and smiling, and <em>living</em> – living as if nothing ever happened…!”</p><p>After Eldigan, Ethlyn hadn’t even considered that this might have been a Lachesis from her time. But now, everything clicked: her sombre outlook, her familiarity, the way she’d sounded so distant when they were inside.</p><p>“And the way he speaks…!” Lachesis continued. “He talks like a king in a time of peace… He’s yet to even see the start of all these hostilities between Grannvale and Verdane! He lives in such a beautiful moment, blissfully unaware of everything that’s about to happen… while I’m unable to do anything but deny him the truth…!”</p><p>She tensed up, breathing in sharply.</p><p>“But Eldie’s dead. Dead. He’ll never come back. That’s why all this is so difficult for me – this ball, this ‘celebration’. This is a mockery… A dream created just to spite me, where I have no choice but to look upon Eldie in his happiest days and be reminded of what I’ve lost…”</p><p>She trailed off, and Ethlyn could hear her voice break. Ethlyn reached out, taking her hand again and squeezing lightly, feeling the softness of the gloves under her fingers.</p><p>Lachesis’s cheeks were wet. Her shoulders shuddered.</p><p>“Come here,” Ethlyn said, opening her arms.</p><p>With little hesitation, Lachesis collapsed against her shoulder, and her composure broke into sobs. Ethlyn ran a hand through her hair, shushing her gently as the tears wet her dress.</p><p>“It’s alright. It’s alright. I’m here for you.”</p><p>She held Lachesis in the dying light of day, and although night fell and the stars came out, she didn’t let go.</p><p>“Everyone misses him,” she whispered to Lachesis. “My brother misses him. My husband misses him. Everyone’s hearts are so heavy in his absence…”</p><p>“I know,” Lachesis said. “They loved Eldie, and he them. Forgive me, Lady Ethlyn… but even as everyone’s so happy here, I can’t help but feel bitter. That’s all I feel. Bitter, and empty, and cold… I try to act as I’ve always done with him, but it feels like talking to a stranger.”</p><p>A stranger. Yes – yes, it was exactly the same. Askr had put all of them together with the ones they loved, but at a cost that might have been more painful than separation. Lachesis understood how it felt; how Ethlyn had been feeling in her heart for so long.</p><p>Ethlyn squeezed her tighter. Somehow, she felt more in common with this girl in that moment than her own husband.</p><p>“I understand. Quan, too, comes from a time different to my own… In his mind, we’ve only recently come to my brother’s aid. Everything that follows is… still to come.” She breathed heavily. “Your brother told me that we were all fortunate to be together in this world, but… it’s not quite so simple, is it? We’re from the same world, but time’s all out of joint. We’re all split apart. Eldigan’s living in happier times. You and I have our pain. And poor Quan… well, you see how he is now. Attending to his duties, but riddled with such anxiety. We’ve left our home to fight an uncertain war. He’d rather be alone with his thoughts than attending to a dance, but obligation presses on him so.”</p><p>She rested her head against Lachesis’s.</p><p>“I know it’s tough. And I’m sorry that I can’t do anything to help ease it…”</p><p>It was quiet for a while. The night air was cold against Ethlyn’s exposed shoulders, but she didn’t mind. She had more immediate concerns than a little breeze.</p><p>Lachesis let out one last shuddering breath, then pulled away. Her eyes were red and puffy, her skin pale.</p><p>“I’m sorry for disturbing your evening so,” she said. “I… I had to talk with someone.”</p><p>Ethlyn smiled softly. “Don’t worry about it.”</p><p>Lachesis smiled back, but it was sad and wan. “Thank you. I’ll leave you in peace.”</p><p>“Goodnight, Lady Lachesis.”</p><p>“Goodnight, Lady Ethlyn.”</p><p>Ethlyn watched her walk away. She couldn’t help but notice how Lachesis’s shoulders were still shaking.</p><p>She didn’t make it far before stopping. She was crying again – silently, for now, but Ethlyn could tell.</p><p>“Lachesis.”</p><p>She went to her, enveloping the girl in her arms once more, and Lachesis gladly leaned in – only this time, she didn’t let go.</p><p>In the end, they were two women with heavy hearts, each trying to bear the weight of their sorrow.</p><p>“I… I don’t know why I’m still crying,” Lachesis said. “It’s so unsightly…”</p><p>Ethlyn stroked her hair. “It’s perfectly natural. Sometimes, it’s all you can do.”</p><p>She nodded against Ethlyn’s shoulder, fingers clutching at the fabric of her dress.</p><p>“I want to stay here,” she said. “I don’t want to go back inside.”</p><p>“You don’t have to.”</p><p>Ethlyn stood there for a while with Lachesis in her arms, the both of them swaying back and forth. She felt her shudder against her every so often, as if she was struggling not to cry.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Lachesis said.</p><p>“Enough apologising,” Ethlyn said, her voice gentle and teasing. “It doesn’t suit a proud lady of Nordion.”</p><p>Lachesis sniffled, taking a deep breath. Her shoulders stopped shivering.</p><p>“I’m trying my best,” she said, managing a smile, “but… thank you.”</p><p>Ethlyn smiled back. “Of course.”</p><p>Lachesis’s glove slid up Ethlyn’s cheek, brushing a strand of red hair aside. The silk felt even softer than it had in her hands.</p><p>“You’re a good person,” she breathed. “I don’t know how you can bear it… surrounding yourself with war and death. How can you stomach it all?”</p><p>“Sometimes, you don’t have a choice. You have to stand and fight… no matter the circumstances.”</p><p>“Who are you fighting for?”</p><p>“My family.” Ethlyn’s reply was immediate. “Quan, Altena… and my newborn son, Leif. They’re the reason I fight. They’re the reason I’ll always fight, regardless of the odds.”</p><p>She felt Lachesis’s fingers twitch against her face.</p><p>“I’m glad you have something. I don’t think I do.”</p><p>Ethlyn frowned. “You have everything to live for. Eldigan didn’t give his life so that you’d throw yours away.”</p><p>The hand on her cheek was trembling now.</p><p>“Eldie… Eldie died for nothing. There was no reason, no purpose. It was a stupid mistake, and now he’s gone. And I’m alone…”</p><p>Her voice cracked, and the tears returned.</p><p>“You’re not alone,” Ethlyn said.</p><p>“I… I wish I wasn’t.”</p><p>Lachesis’s fingers fumbled with the fabric of Ethlyn’s dress. Ethlyn looked down at her; saw her trembling lips and her wide, shimmering eyes, just like the surface of a lake.</p><p>She was so sad, Ethlyn thought. She couldn’t bear to see her so sad. It broke her heart.</p><p>Wasn’t there anything she could do for her? If she could just reassure her that she wasn’t alone, that she was there for her, would that help?</p><p>If she could heal her broken heart—even just soothe it for a time—would that cheer her up?</p><p>Slowly, Ethlyn’s head descended, nearing Lachesis’s own.</p><p>Wait… What was she doing?</p><p>What was she thinking?</p><p>What had gotten into her?</p><p>But it was too late. Too late for rationality; too late for anything but the flood of empathy she was feeling.</p><p>With a little too much ease, she brought Lachesis into a kiss.</p><p>Her lips were warm, so soft and delicate; and Lachesis was pressing into the kiss with a fervency that surprised Ethlyn. She pulled the girl close, wrapping her arms around her waist.</p><p>This was foolish. They shouldn’t have been doing this. It wasn’t the right thing to do. It was a scandal; a betrayal of Quan, of her children.</p><p>But Lachesis needed her help. She deserved to be happy.</p><p>This wasn’t about betraying her family. She knew she’d do anything for Quan, for Altena, for Leif. She’d lay down her life to protect them.</p><p>This was about comforting a broken girl. That was all this was.</p><p>Lachesis’s lips parted slightly, and Ethlyn’s tongue darted out to meet hers.</p><p>She was warm. Her arms wrapped around Ethlyn’s neck, pulling herself up. She tasted like honey, smelled like lavender. She whimpered into the kiss, and her silken fingernails dug into Ethlyn’s bare shoulders.</p><p>Ethlyn knew this was wrong. So why wasn’t she listening to that voice of reason?</p><p>Lachesis’s hands slid up from her shoulders, fingers tangling themselves in her hair.</p><p>Her husband was just inside. He could have walked outside at a moment’s notice and seen everything. He could have seen his wife locked in a passionate kiss with his friend’s sister.</p><p>Perhaps it would have helped him understand the unbridgeable distance of those three silent years between them – but at what cost? Even as Ethlyn struggled to see this Quan as her husband, even if he felt like a stranger… this was an affair, plain and simple.</p><p>But Lachesis needed this.</p><p>She needed this.</p><p>Their tongues danced together, a waltz in its own right, and Lachesis’s fingers tightened in her hair. Her bosom was heaving, straining against the silk of her dress, and her breath came out in uneven little hiccups. Her fingers slipped down from her hair, trailing over her neck, brushing against her bare shoulders again…</p><p>Ethlyn shivered, and Lachesis pulled away. Lachesis looked up at her, lips glistening. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were half-lidded, filled with desire.</p><p>“We… We can’t do this here,” Ethlyn murmured, unsure if she’d meant to add the last word. “The ball is so close by…”</p><p>“Then it seems we need more privacy.” Lachesis’s voice was still trembling, but the nervous excitement of the moment seemed to be bringing her spirit back.</p><p>There was a heat in Ethlyn’s chest, like a fire growing out of control.</p><p>She hadn’t wanted to admit it. She hadn’t wanted to admit that she struggled to muster feelings for this world’s Quan, nor that she didn’t know how the distance between them could ever be closed.</p><p>And now, here was Lachesis. For all Ethlyn knew, she may have been the only person in Askr who could understand what she’d been through. And she herself may, in turn, have been the only one who understood Lachesis.</p><p>She didn’t want to lose her.</p><p>“…Your chambers,” Ethlyn said, her voice faltering slightly.</p><p>Lachesis smiled at her. She slipped her hand into Ethlyn’s, and led her out of the shadows back into the castle.</p>
<hr/><p>The moment Ethlyn was inside Lachesis’s chambers, the princess was on her again, pressing her against the door. Their lips met, and Ethlyn’s hands ran down Lachesis’s back, feeling the curves of her hips. Lachesis’s fingers traced the outline of her jaw, then slid down her neck to tug at her dress again, and Ethlyn hastened to help her out.</p><p>With a few quick movements, she felt the fabric slither down her body, pooling at her ankles. Lachesis stepped back, and for a moment Ethlyn wondered if she was going to balk—to suddenly be aware of what they were doing, to become conscious of Ethlyn’s unspoken infidelity, to realise they were making a mistake—but no. She didn’t stop, nor did Ethlyn want her to. Her dress came tumbling down her legs a moment later, followed by her gloves and accessories, and her body was just as Ethlyn had imagined it.</p><p>As soon as Lachesis’s hands touched her again, now bare skin on skin, Ethlyn’s knees went weak. Lachesis’s fingers teased over her skin, then gently drew her to the bed, pushing her down. The princess knelt on the bed, knees either side of Ethlyn’s hips, and gently lowered herself onto her. Ethlyn gasped as the girl’s tongue pushed into her mouth again, feeling a flush rise to her cheeks.</p><p>Lachesis was so lonely, Ethlyn realised. Aching for contact, for intimacy. She wanted to feel desired. She wanted to feel loved.</p><p>Couldn’t she have said the same for herself?</p><p>It was all such a shame. Even the bright lights and laughter of a ball couldn’t wash away feelings of loneliness – regardless of who they belonged to. Ethlyn wanted to reach out to Lachesis, hold her tight, and never let go.</p><p>So, she did exactly that. She wrapped her arms around Lachesis as they kissed, feeling her golden hair spill all over her face. She drunk in the melange of sensations: the silken touch of Lachesis’s hair on her skin, the weight of her body, her breath on her neck. Their hearts beat in time, and she shuddered with each circle Lachesis’s fingers traced on her hips.</p><p>“Lachesis…” she sighed. “I-I don’t know if we should…”</p><p>There was that voice again. The one that realised what this all was; that tried to stop it before it was too late.</p><p>Lachesis pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. Her gaze was worried. A fear that Ethlyn would reject her.</p><p>But Ethlyn could never be so cruel to someone so in need.</p><p>She pushed the thoughts from her mind and focused on Lachesis, restarting their kiss. Her rational mind gave in to that excuse—that justification—that this was all just for Lachesis’s sake; that she needed this; that Ethlyn couldn’t say no to her.</p><p>She could have done whatever she wanted, of course. This, like her marriage to Quan, was a choice.</p><p>The kiss deepened. Lachesis’s fingers ran down her side, and she shivered, tightening her embrace – as if to reassure her that she wouldn’t leave her side. She had all the time in the world for this girl.</p><p>They kept up a tender pace – soothing, not rushed. They didn’t need to go any faster than this. Their tongues slid together so slowly, a gentle motion like a caress. Ethlyn tasted the inside of Lachesis’s mouth, and Lachesis tasted the inside of hers. Lachesis’s fingers slid down Ethlyn’s stomach, sending more chills through her and stroking in a way that made her quiver and moan into their kiss, moving in time with her touch. Her pace was unhurried, and Ethlyn couldn’t bring herself to want it any faster. She was content to feel like this, to savour her touch. It all felt so perfect. So right.</p><p>Calmly, gracefully, Lachesis’s fingers slipped under her panties—</p><p>And all at once, she slammed her fingers into Ethlyn. The older woman gasped, more from shock than pain, and moaned out loud as Lachesis pushed so deep inside her. Her hips rocked against the girl’s hand, and Lachesis shifted to accommodate her, never breaking the kiss. It didn’t take long for the surprise to wear off, and soon enough she was revelling in the feeling.</p><p>Lachesis kept up her pace – not too fast, but a far cry from the slow rhythm Ethlyn had been enjoying just a few moments before. Her fingers curled up just slightly, and Ethlyn sighed into her mouth as the tip of her middle finger rubbed against a certain spot inside her. Ethlyn’s forehead was covered in sweat, and she shuddered as Lachesis hit that spot again and again. Lachesis’s free arm wrapped around her back, holding the two of them together as their tongues danced.</p><p>“L-Lachesis… Lachesis, I…!”</p><p>Ethlyn couldn’t even form a complete sentence. Lachesis hit her sensitive spot one last time, and something leaked out, running warm down between her legs and onto the sheets. Lachesis slowly withdrew her fingers, raising her hand to her mouth and licking the juices from them while looking Ethlyn in the eyes.</p><p>“You taste delicious, dearest Ethlyn,” she murmured. “I’d love to taste more of you… and you could taste me as well, if you’d like. I would not mind in the slightest…”</p><p>Ethlyn’s cheeks went a deep red. “There’s… a position for that.”</p><p>“Would you show me?”</p><p>Swallowing, she nodded her head. If she could make Lachesis happy in two ways at once—to give her more of a taste while also making her feel good—then it was all worth it.</p><p>With a gentle caress of her hand, Ethlyn laid Lachesis down on her back and crawled over to her, slipping her fingers between the bands of her undergarments and drawing them down and off her legs, not at all surprised—but silently proud all the same—to see that she was positively soaked. Slowly, she brought her face down to her mound, breathing in just inches from her opening.</p><p>This was insanity. A night at the ball with her husband, and she was spending its late hours eating out King Eldigan’s sister. Her actions were disgraceful. Repulsive, even.</p><p>But she somehow didn’t care at all. She was having far too much fun to pay heed to such things.</p><p>And besides, it was all for Lachesis. That was the point. The ever-persistent, ever-comforting point.</p><p>Such a beautiful lie.</p><p>She lowered her face to Lachesis’s womanhood and gently started to lick. She lapped up her juice, savouring the taste of it; and as Lachesis’s arousal quickly grew more prominent, she found herself licking faster, wanting to taste more. She gently parted Lachesis’s folds with her fingers, exposing her hardening clit.</p><p>Behind her, Lachesis began to lick in turn. The sensation was completely new to Ethlyn—Quan’s habits in the bedroom had never been the most thrilling—but she found it strangely easy to adjust. Perhaps her mind had already warped enough by her actions tonight that such indecency felt natural. Licking faster, she continued to stimulate Lachesis’s clit, rolling it around under her tongue. She pressed her lips tightly around it, giving it a quick but hard suck for good measure.</p><p>“Oh!” Lachesis squeaked, her voice muffled by Ethlyn’s thighs. “Yes… Just like that. Please, keep going…”</p><p>Ethlyn obliged, pleasuring Lachesis with her mouth as the girl did the same to her. She swirled her tongue around her clit, giving it another firm suck and drawing out another high squeal.</p><p>“I taste wonderful, don’t I?” Lachesis said between breaths, trying to maintain her usual prideful composure. “A lady of Nordion could be no less than—AAH!”</p><p>She let out a high moan as Ethlyn plunged her tongue into her, casting aside shame to lick as deeply as possible.</p><p>“I love how you taste, as well,” Ethlyn said truthfully. “I could do this all night…”</p><p>“Mmm… Couldn’t we all…? But I… Oh, by the…!”</p><p>Lachesis’s gasps were turning feverish, and Ethlyn was more than happy to keep going, coaxing more and more pleasure out of the princess.</p><p>“Do that again…!” she cried. “Yes… Oh, you beautiful creature…!”</p><p>“Lachesis…” Ethlyn whispered. “I’m going to make you feel really good now.”</p><p>The girl’s breathing had grown ragged and desperate. “I… I should very much like that…”</p><p>Ethlyn circled her tongue around Lachesis’s slit slowly, not touching it directly. Her squirms intensified as she continued, and by the time she was done she was practically begging for release.</p><p>“Ethlyn… Please…! I need…! I need to…!”</p><p>Her pleas were so cute that Ethlyn nearly gave her what she wanted right there and then. But instead, she decided to be a little naughty. She wasn’t going to deny her this pleasure, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have some fun.</p><p>“Then would you mind helping me out?” she asked in her sweetest voice. “I’m… sort of tied up at the moment…”</p><p>“Oh!” Lachesis said, seemingly snapping out of a trace. “Of course. My apologies. I was so… H-here…!”</p><p>Her mouth set to work on Ethlyn’s nether regions once again, and Ethlyn’s returned to hers.</p><p>This was all for Lachesis. She wasn’t betraying anyone.</p><p>This was all for herself. She was betraying Quan, Altena, and Leif.</p><p>This was just for fun. She was betraying her own moral values.</p><p>Which was it? What kind of person was she?</p><p>Ethlyn felt herself building up, but she held it back. She didn’t want to finish yet. Not while Lachesis was still working so hard.</p><p>“Mmm… this taste,” Lachesis murmured, still slurping away. “So delightful…”</p><p>Ethlyn sighed happily as Lachesis’s tongue worked at her folds. She flicked her own tongue against the girl’s clit, and Lachesis responded with a powerful shudder. She was only a lick away.</p><p>“I-I’m…” she stuttered, “I’m going to…! Don’t stop, please…!”</p><p>“Together, then,” Ethlyn whispered. “Let’s go together…”</p><p>She flicked her tongue one last time against her clit – and just like that, Lachesis let go.</p><p>“Ah…!” Lachesis sighed. “I… I… <em>AAH!</em>”</p><p>A suppressed release rushed through her, and she let out a long, sustained moan as she drenched Ethlyn’s face with her juices.</p><p>The sound and the sensation were enough to send Ethlyn hurtling over the edge as well. She grunted softly as her own bliss washed over her, juices gushing out into Lachesis’s mouth, and the princess drank it up greedily, licking and sucking every last drop.</p><p>And then, just like that, it was done.</p><p>As Ethlyn rolled over, overwhelmed by the wracking sensations, Lachesis went limp on the bed, arms stretched out and trembling. They both laid in silence, trying to compose themselves, and it was a long time before either of them spoke again.</p><p>“Thank you,” Lachesis said at last.</p><p>Ethlyn didn’t reply. She hardly even smiled.</p><p>“Even if just for tonight… thank you, dear Ethlyn, for taking my mind off all these vexing matters. For taking me away from that ballroom. That… façade.”</p><p>At Lachesis’s gratitude—her happiness, really—Ethlyn managed a smile. That had been one of her aims, after all. Even if Eldigan’s presence in Askr only brought Lachesis confusion and pain, at least she’d been allowed to enjoy herself with someone who understood. Someone who’d always care for her and look out for her.</p><p>But while the pleasure still ran through Ethlyn’s body, her heart was heavy with regret.</p><p>She’d decided, in the end, what kind of person she was. And she knew there was only one way to make up for it.</p>
<hr/><p>“Ah, Ethlyn,” Quan said. “This is where you were.”</p><p>Her husband had found her in the castle halls not far from the ballroom. It was nearly midnight; the festivities were drawing to a close, and most of the heroes were returning to their chambers or to nightly duties like patrols.</p><p>“Quan,” Ethlyn said, “I…”</p><p>She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to tell him that she’d betrayed him, betrayed her children. Even if he wasn’t her Quan, he deserved to know.</p><p>And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.</p><p>“Is everything alright?” he asked, raising an eyebrow with the same concern her Quan always attended her with. “You slipped off without so much as a word. Though I know neither of us are particularly fond of occasions such as these, you seemed particularly… off. I hope I didn’t do something to offend…”</p><p>“No…! No, Quan, you did nothing wrong. You couldn’t possibly offend me.”</p><p>She swallowed – and settled for a half-truth.</p><p>“Princess Lachesis was feeling… out of sorts. She needed someone to talk to, so I spent some time with her and helped her back to her room.”</p><p>Quan smiled. A proud smile for his considerate wife.</p><p>“Ah, yes. I did see the two of you speaking earlier. Thank you, then, for attending to her needs. I’m sure Eldigan will appreciate it.”</p><p>“Yes,” she replied, the misdirection bitter on her lips. “I’m sure he will.”</p><p>She fell silent, and Quan took her hand.</p><p>“Would you care to dance one last time?” he asked. “The night is wrapping up soon, so the ballroom is all ours for one final moment.”</p><p>“I… I think I’d like that.”</p><p>He smiled, and led her back into the ballroom.</p><p>They danced slowly and quietly in the near-emptiness, hearing the clock echo across the wide room as it struck twelve.</p><p>The man holding Ethlyn’s arms wasn’t the husband she knew. He was no imitation or fraud, but the trials she and her Quan had weathered together were too significant for her to be able to see this one—this young man only freshly wading into a war—as the same person. But in the dim light of the candles, with the fading sounds of music in the background, she nevertheless made a promise to herself.</p><p>She was never going to put her family aside again. Not her children, and not him – not even if the world fell down around them and swallowed them whole.</p><p>That was her way of forgiving herself. She’d stay by his side and fight to the end.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Genealogy of the Holy War: it's like writing for Fjorm except instead of a single character, it's the entire first generation cast that's doomed to die horrible deaths.</p><p>I'm slowly nearing the bottom of my list for suggestions I'm (most) interested in writing now, so any further F/F rarepair requests to spark the imagination are appreciated as always.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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